A Glimpse of What Can Never Be
by Misha
Summary: What Snape sees when he looks into the Mirror of Erised.


A Glimpse of What Can Never Be  
By Misha

Disclaimer- Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling and is not mine, however much I might wish differently. However, I am not making any money off of this, so please do not sue me!

Author's Notes- This is just a short, kind of sad piece about Snape and what he sees when he gazes into the Mirror of Erised. Since I'm a Snape/Lily fan, this tends to lean in that direction. This has nothing to do with any of my other Snape/Lily pieces. It's a short, bittersweet stand alone that came to me as I was re-watching the Harry Potter movie. Well, that's all for now, enjoy!

Spoilers- Sorcerer's Stone/Philosopher's Stone.

Pairing- Snape/Lily.

Summery- What Snape sees when he looks into the Mirror of Erised.

Rating- PG

* * *

Severus stood in front of the mirror, tempted to look in and see what it would reveal. He knew what this was and what it did. He also knew that it could draw you in and drive you mad. 

Still, he couldn't resisted the temptation to look and see what the deepest, most desperate desire of his heart was. Though, he thought that he probably did know. What else could it be?

Still, he moved into perfect position and gazed into the mirror.

Within a second, he saw his own reflection, but he was not alone.

He saw a woman standing in front of him. She was beautiful with long, dark red hair and eyes as green as emeralds. She was resting against him, his arms were wrapped around her, their hands linked together and resting on top of her very pregnant stomach. Severus saw the joy on his own face, there was no pain in his eyes, no sign of rapid aging evident.

For the first time, he saw the little girl leaning against the woman's knees. Her hair was as red as her mother's, her eyes shined just as brightly. She was holding a teddy bear and smiling widely up at the boy who stood beside Severus.

He looked just like Severus, but he had the woman's eyes. He tilted his head back and Severus could see the scar that rested on his forehead.

The scar shaped just like a lighting bolt.

Severus gasped at the revelation and stepped back in a hurry, causing the image to go away.

"I see you couldn't resist the mirror's temptation." A voice behind him said.

Severus turned around to see Albus standing there.

"No." He admitted. "I just wanted to see."

"And did you find what you expected that you would?" Albus asked gently.

"Yes and no." Severus told him. "I suppose you know what I saw, don't you?"

"Yes, Severus, I do." Albus said quietly. "We both know that the mirror reveals the most desperate, deepest desires of our hearts. And for you, there is only one thing that that could be."

"I saw her." Severus said in a choked voice. "She was so beautiful Albus and so happy. We both were. And we had a family."

"Yes." Albus said quietly. "You are alone aren't you Severus? Longing for a woman who died a long time ago."

Severus didn't say anything. What was there to say? Albus spoke only the truth, after all.

"But you saw something that startled you, didn't you?" Albus stated softly.

"Yes." Severus admitted. "Albus... I saw our son, but... He was..."

"I know." Albus told him. "The son that you saw in the mirror exists. But in real life he is not yours. You wish that he was though, don't you?"

Severus was quiet. Did he? Did he long for the damned Potter brat to be his son and not James'? "Albus..."

"It is okay." Albus said. "It is private, I understand that. But, Severus, remember the mirror does not show us truth, only what we long for. You will find no peace and happiness from it, only torment as you see a desire that can never be realized."

Severus nodded, knowing that Albus was warning him against being drawn into the mirror's spell. "I understand."

Albus nodded. "Then I will be on my way."

He turned and walked away, leaving Severus on his own.

Severus gazed into the mirror one more time and the picture returned. The pregnant wife, the son, the little girl, they all came back. As did the happy and relaxed version of himself.

"What I would have given..." He whispered as he watched the happy family.

Finally, he tore himself away and turned from the mirror. He would not be back. He _could_ not come back.

Albus was right, there was no point in gazing into the mirror. He could never have what he had seen there.

But, at the same time, he knew that he would never stop longing for it.

The End


End file.
